Corneal marker tools for ophthalmic procedures

Abstract

Various corneal marker tools and assemblies are provided for use in ophthalmic procedures to place ink marks on the cornea. One tool assembly includes an applicator containing an ink and a disposable marking tip attachable to the applicator, where ink is injected from the applicator into hollow channels of the marking tip. Another tool assembly includes a reusable handle and a disposable marking tip attachable to the handle. Another tool assembly includes a marker assembled with a cap with an ink pad. Another tool assembly includes a marker tool and a nesting adapter to be used with a patient interface device. Other tools have a one-piece design with a marker head and an handle fixedly joined together. Some tools have pre-inked marking elements, or an embedded light source, or a built-in level indicator, or a ring-shaped marker head, or a leaf spring feature on their marking prongs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A corneal marker tool assembly for ophthalmic procedures, comprising:
 an applicator, having a container configured to contain an ink, and a handle coupled to the container and configured to actuate the container; and   a marking tip, having a base and a plurality of marking elements extending from the base, wherein the base defines a hollow interior space, wherein each of the marking elements defines a hollow interior channel in fluid communication with the hollow interior space of the base, a distal end of the hollow interior channel being either open to covered by a porous or absorbent material;   wherein the base of the marking tip is configured to mate with a distal portion of the container of the applicator, and wherein the hollow interior space of the marking tip is in fluid communication with the container of the applicator when the marking tip is mated with the distal portion of the container.   
     
     
         2 . A corneal marker tool for ophthalmic procedures, comprising:
 a marker having a plurality of marking elements; and   a cap attached to the marker, the cap having an ink pad disposed within it, wherein end surfaces of the marking elements are disposed to face the ink pad with a gap in between,   wherein the cap is either deformable or moveable relative to the marker to cause the ink pad to contact the end surfaces of the marking elements when the cap is deformed or moved.   
     
     
         3 . The corneal marker tool of  claim 2 , wherein the cap is rotatable relative to the marker. 
     
     
         4 . A corneal marker tool for ophthalmic procedures, comprising:
 a marker head having a plurality of marking elements, wherein at least a distal portion of each marking elements is formed of a resin material with an ink embedded in the resin material at a distal end of the marking element; and   an elongated handle joined to the marker head.   
     
     
         5 . A corneal marker tool for ophthalmic procedures, comprising:
 a marker head having a plurality of marking elements;   an elongated handle joined to the marker head;   a light source embedded inside the handle; and   a transparent light pipe embedded inside a distal portion of the handle and the marker head, configured to transmit a light from the light source to the marker head, wherein the marker head is configured to emit the light from a part of its surface.   
     
     
         6 . The corneal marker tool of  claim 5 , wherein the light pipe is configured to transmit the light to a distal end surface of the marker head at a base of the marking elements. 
     
     
         7 . The corneal marker tool of  claim 6 , wherein the light pipe is configured to transmit the light to a location of the distal end surface of the marker head that is non-coaxial with a central axis of the marker head. 
     
     
         8 . The corneal marker tool of  claim 5 , wherein a portion of a surface of the marker head has a frost or polished finish. 
     
     
         9 . The corneal marker tool of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of marking elements are pre-inked. 
     
     
         10 . A corneal marker tool for ophthalmic procedures, comprising:
 a marker head having a plurality of marking elements;   an elongated handle joined to the marker head; and   a level indicator disposed on the marker head, configured to indicate a level orientation of the marker head.   
     
     
         11 . The corneal marker tool of  claim 10 , wherein the level indicator includes two bubble levels or two ball levels orthogonal to each other, and wherein the level indicator is located on a transverse surface of the marker head which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the marker head. 
     
     
         12 . The corneal marker tool of  claim 10 , wherein the marker head is pivotally joined to the handle and is pivotable around the longitudinal axis of the marker head. 
     
     
         13 . The corneal marker tool of  claim 12 , further comprising a locking mechanism configured to lock a rotational angle of the marker head relative to the handle. 
     
     
         14 . The corneal marker tool of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of marking elements are pre-inked. 
     
     
         15 . A corneal marker tool for ophthalmic procedures, comprising:
 a marker head having a ring shaped base and a plurality of marking elements extending from the base; and   an elongated handle joined to the base of the marker head.   
     
     
         16 . The corneal marker tool of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of marking elements are pre-inked. 
     
     
         17 . A corneal marker tool for ophthalmic procedures, comprising:
 a marker head having a base and a plurality of marking elements, wherein each marking element is an elongated prong extending from the base in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the marker head, wherein each elongated prong includes a thin segment that is thinner in a radial direction than segments above and below the thin segment, and wherein each marking element has a distal end that extends in a substantially radial direction and is inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and   an elongated handle joined to the base of the marker head.   
     
     
         18 . The corneal marker tool of  claim 17 , wherein the thin segment of each prong is formed by a cutout located at a radially outer portion of the thin segment, or by a cutout located at a radially inner portion of the thin segment. 
     
     
         19 . The corneal marker tool of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of marking elements are pre-inked. 
     
     
         20 . A corneal marker tool assembly for ophthalmic procedures, comprising:
 a corneal marker tool having a ring shaped base with a center opening and a plurality of marking elements joined to and extending from a bottom side of the base and located around the center opening; and   a ring shaped nesting adapter having a center opening and a step feature within the center opening, wherein the base of the corneal marker tool is configured to fit within the center opening of the nesting adapter and rest on the step feature, with the marking elements of the marker tool exposed through the center openings of the nesting adapter.   
     
     
         21 . The corneal marker tool assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the base of the corneal marker tool includes a post protruding from a top side of the base and one or more orientation indicators on the top side of the base. 
     
     
         22 . The corneal marker tool assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of marking elements are pre-inked. 
     
     
         23 . A corneal marker tool assembly for ophthalmic procedures, comprising:
 an elongated handle; and   a marking tip, configured to be attachable to and detachable from the handle, the marking tip including a distal portion with a plurality of marking elements;   wherein a distal portion of the handle and a proximal portion of the marking tip are configured to make with each other to detachably attach the marking tip to the handle.   
     
     
         24 . The corneal marker tool assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the distal portion of the handle defines a slot and the proximal portion of the marking tip is configured to fit in the slot. 
     
     
         25 . The corneal marker tool assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the distal portion of the handle has a resilient member that defines a keyhole shaped slot with a wider end, and the proximal portion of the marking tip has a button configured to snap into the wider end of the keyhole shaped slot. 
     
     
         26 . The corneal marker tool assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of marking elements includes a first subset of marking elements extending from a first side of the distal portion of the marking tip and a second subset of marking elements extending from a second side of the distal portion of the marking tip, the first and second subsets of marking elements having different geometries. 
     
     
         27 . The corneal marker tool assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the distal portion of the marking tip defines a center axis and extends in a direction transverse to the center axis, and includes one or more arcuate windows around the center axis. 
     
     
         28 . The corneal marker tool assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the distal portion of the marking tip further includes a notch located at the center axis. 
     
     
         29 . The corneal marker tool assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of marking elements are pre-inked.